PressSpotting: The 2008 Just Foolin' Awards

Game journalists could be forgiven for having a love/hate relationship with April Fools' Day. On the one hand, the day lets them get away from straight, factual reporting and stretch their creative muscles in crafting fictional stories. On the other hand, they have to be extremely careful all day of reporting on stories that could turn out to be elaborate falsehoods created by others.

On the whole, the results of all this tomfoolery are decidedly mixed. Some writers grow to the task and create well-crafted, thought-provoking jokes that highlight industry hypocrisy. Others just play to readers' worst demons and wishful thinking by making up obviously fake "news." There are some of each category in this year's Just Foolin' Awards, which highlights the year's most notable game-journalism-related April Fools jokes.